Sliding mechanism

ABSTRACT

A sliding mechanism used in a portable electronic device is described. The sliding mechanism includes a fixed piece, a sliding piece and a friction reducing assembly. The fixed piece includes a main body and two sliding rails disposed at two opposite edges of the main body. The sliding piece is slidably assembled with the fixed piece and includes a base and two guiding rails disposed at two opposite edges of the base. The friction reducing assembly disposed between and in rolling contact with the sliding rails and the guiding rails.

1. TECHNICAL FIELD

The exemplary disclosure generally relates to sliding mechanisms, and particularly, to a sliding mechanism used in a portable electronic device.

2. DESCRIPTION OF RELATED ART

Slide-type portable electronic devices usually include a main housing, a slidable housing, and a sliding mechanism. The sliding mechanism drives the slidable housing to slide with respect to the main housing.

The sliding mechanism usually includes a body section, a cover section, and a torsion spring. One end of the torsion spring is fixed to the body section, and the other end of the torsion spring is fixed to the cover section. The cover section can slide relative to the body section by releasing the torsion force of the torsion spring. Due to the main housing and the slidable housing being fixed to the body section and the cover section, the slidable housing can slide relative to the main housing.

However, after repeated use, the torsion spring may wear out and fail to function properly, thereby degrading the sliding mechanism.

Therefore, there is room for improvement within the art.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Many aspects of the sliding mechanism can be better understood with reference to the following drawings. These drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale, the emphasis instead being placed upon clearly illustrating the principles of the present sliding mechanism. Moreover, in the drawings like reference numerals designate corresponding sections throughout the several views.

FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of a sliding mechanism in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 shows an exploded, perspective view of the sliding mechanism shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 shows an enlarged view of area III of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 shows an enlarged cross-sectional view taken along line IV-IV of FIG.

FIG. 5 shows a perspective view of the sliding mechanism in an open position, corresponding to an opening operation to the sliding mechanism shown in FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Please referring to FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, an exemplary sliding mechanism 100 for portable electronic devices, such as mobile phones, digital cameras and etc., is shown. The sliding mechanism 100 includes a fixed piece 10, a sliding piece 30, and a friction reducing assembly 50. The fixed piece 10 may be made of metal. The fixed piece 10 includes a main body 11 and two sliding rails 13 disposed on the main body 11. Referring also to FIG. 4, the main body 11 has a U-shaped cross-section, and includes a main board 111 and two assembling walls 113. The two assembling walls 113 are disposed at two opposite edges of the main board 111 and are parallel to each other. The two sliding rails 13 are bar-shaped, and made of a strong material such as metal. The sliding rails 13 both include an inner surface (not figured) and a groove 132. The two inner surfaces are disposed facing each other. Each groove 132 is recessed in a corresponding inner surface 131 therethrough, and extends longitudinally along the inner surface. In the present embodiment, the two sliding rails 13 are formed by extrusion, and are welded to corresponding assembling walls 113. The two sliding rails 13 and the main body 11 together form a substantially rectangular assembling space 15 therebetween, so as to accommodate the sliding piece 30 and the friction reducing assembly 50.

The sliding piece 30 has a U-shaped cross-section and includes a base 31 and two guiding rails 33 disposed at two opposite edges of the base 31 corresponding to the two sliding rails 13 respectively. The two guiding rails 33 are parallel to each other and are configured to slidably engage with the two sliding rails 13 of the main body 11 respectively. The two guiding rails 33 are bar-shaped and made of a strong material such as metal. Each guiding rail 33 includes an outer surface (not shown) and a guiding groove 332. The two outer surfaces are disposed facing away from each other. Each guiding groove 332 is recessed in a corresponding outer surface therethrough, and extends longitudinally along the outer surface. In the present embodiment, the two guiding rails 33 are formed by extrusion, and are welded to the corresponding two opposite edges of the base 31. The two guiding grooves 332 are facing away from each other. The sliding piece 30 is slidably assembled and accommodated within the assembling space 15 of the fixed piece 10. The two guiding rails 33 of the sliding piece 30 are slidably assembled with the two sliding rails 13 of the fixed piece 10 respectively and form two cylindrical holes 40 there-between.

Also referring to FIG. 3, the friction reducing assembly 50 is disposed between and in rolling contact with the sliding rails 13 and the guiding rails 33, so as to reduce the friction between the sliding piece 30 and the fixed piece 10. The friction reducing assembly 50 includes two backstops 51 and a plurality of balls 53. Each backstop 51 includes a main portion 511, a bent portion 512 bent from a longitudinal edge of the main portion 511, and a plurality of tabs 5115. The main portion 511 includes a plurality of equally spaced through holes 5111 defined therethrough along the longitudinal direction. The other longitudinal edge of the main portion 511 opposite to the bent portion 512 defines a plurality of gaps 5112 therethrough. Each gap 5112 communicates with a corresponding through hole 5111. The tabs 5115 extend out from two opposite sides of the main portion 511. Each through hole 5111 is surrounded by four equally spaced tabs 5115. The balls 53 loosely fit in the through holes 5111, and are prevented from dropping off the backstop 51 by the tabs 5115.

Also referring to FIG. 4 and FIG. 5, in assembly, the two backstops 51 are assembled within the two sliding rails 13 of the fixed piece 10 respectively, with the bent portion 512 projecting out of the corresponding sliding rail 13. The plurality of the balls 53 are assembled within the corresponding through holes 511 of the backstop 51 and partially accommodated within the corresponding sliding rail 13 of the fixed piece 10. The sliding piece 30 is slidably assembled with the fixed piece 10, with the two guiding rails 33 assembled to the two sliding rails 13 of the fixed piece 10. The friction reducing assemblies 50 are clamped between the corresponding guiding rail 33 and sliding rail 13. In use, the sliding piece 30 is driven to slide relative to the fixed piece 10, the balls 53 jointly rotate relative to the sliding piece 30 and the fixed piece 10. Therefore, the friction reducing assembly 50 rollingly contacts both the sliding piece 30 and the fixed piece 10 which reduces friction therebetween.

The sliding mechanism 100 could be used in a portable electronic device, wherein, the portable electronic device includes a main body, a sliding mechanism 100, and a sliding body. The fixed piece 10 is assembled with main body of the portable electronic device, and the sliding piece 30 is assembled with the sliding body, so that the sliding body is slidably assembled with the main body.

It is to be understood that the fixed piece 10 and the sliding piece 30 could be produced by one-mold molding method.

It is to be understood, however, that even through numerous characteristics and advantages have been set forth in the foregoing description of embodiments, together with details of the structure and functions of the embodiments, the disclosure is illustrative only, and changes may be made in detail, especially in matters of shape, size, and arrangement of sections within the principles of the disclosure to the full extent indicated by the broad general meaning of the terms, in which the appended claims are expressed. 

1. A sliding mechanism, comprising: a fixed piece comprising a main body and two sliding rails disposed at two opposite edges of the main body; a sliding piece slidably assembled with the fixed piece, the sliding piece comprising a base and two guiding rails disposed at two opposite edges of the base and corresponding to the two sliding rails respectively; wherein, the two guiding rails of the sliding piece are slidably assembled with the corresponding two sliding rails of the fixed piece respectively; and a friction reducing assembly disposed between and in rolling contact with the sliding rails and the guiding rails.
 2. The sliding mechanism as claimed in claim 1, wherein the two sliding rails each include a groove recessed in a corresponding inner surface and extends longitudinally along the inner surface; the two guiding rails each include a guiding groove recessed in a corresponding outer surface and extends longitudinally along the outer surface.
 3. The sliding mechanism as claimed in claim 2, wherein the friction reducing assembly includes two backstops and a plurality of balls partially assembled within the backstop, the two sliding rails and the two guiding rails form two assembling portions there-between, the two backstops are assembled within the two assembling portions respectively.
 4. The sliding mechanism as claimed in claim 3, wherein the backstop includes a main portion with a plurality of through holes spaced defined therethrough along the longitudinal direction; the plurality of balls assembled within the corresponding holes and partially accommodated within the corresponding sliding rail of the fixed piece.
 5. The sliding mechanism as claimed in claim 4, wherein the back stop further includes a bent portion extending and bent from a longitudinal edge of the main portion, the bent portion projects out of the corresponding sliding rail; the other longitudinal edge of the main portion opposite to the bent portion defines a plurality of gaps communicating with a corresponding through holes respectively.
 6. The sliding mechanism as claimed in claim 5, wherein the backstop further includes a plurality of tabs extending outwardly from two opposite sides of the main portion; each through hole surrounded by several spaced apart tabs; the balls loosely fit in the through holes and prevented from dropping off the backstop by the tabs.
 7. The sliding mechanism as claimed in claim 2, wherein the two sliding rails and the main body together form an assembling space there between, the sliding piece and the friction reducing assembly assembled and accommodated therein.
 8. The sliding mechanism as claimed in claim 2, wherein the main body has a U-shaped cross-section and includes a main board and two assembling walls disposed at two opposite edges of the main board parallel to each other; the two sliding rails are formed by extrusion, and are welded to corresponding assembling walls.
 9. The sliding mechanism as claimed in claim 8, wherein the sliding piece has a U-shaped cross-section, the two guiding rails are parallel to each other and are formed by extrusion, and are welded to the corresponding two opposite edges of the base.
 10. The sliding mechanism as claimed in claim 2, wherein the fixed piece and the sliding piece are produce by one-mold molding method.
 11. A sliding mechanism, comprising: a fixed piece comprising a main body and two sliding rails disposed at two opposite edges of the main body, the two sliding rails and the main body form an assembling space there between; a sliding piece slidably assembled with the fixed piece and accommodated within the assembling space, the sliding piece comprising a base and two guiding rails disposed at the two opposite edges of the base corresponding to the two sliding rails respectively; wherein, the two guiding rails of the sliding piece are assembled with the corresponding two sliding rails of the fixed piece respectively; and a friction reducing assembly disposed between and in rolling contact with the sliding rails and the guiding rails.
 12. The sliding mechanism as claimed in claim 11, wherein the sliding rails and the guiding rails are formed by extrusion.
 13. The sliding mechanism as claimed in claim 11, wherein the friction reducing assembly includes two backstops and a plurality of balls, each backstop includes a main portion with a plurality of spaced apart holes defined therethrough along the longitudinal direction; the plurality of balls assembled within the corresponding holes and partially accommodated within the corresponding sliding rail of the fixed piece and the guiding rail of the sliding piece.
 14. The sliding mechanism as claimed in claim 13, wherein one longitudinal edge of the main portion defines a plurality of gaps communicating with a corresponding through holes respectively.
 15. The sliding mechanism as claimed in claim 14, wherein the backstop further includes a plurality of tabs extending outwardly from two opposite sides of the main portion; each through hole is surrounded by several spaced apart tabs; the balls loosely fit in the through holes and are prevented from dropping off the backstop by the tabs. 